The Repealing and Amending (Second) Act, 2017 is an act of the Parliament of India that repealed 131 acts, and nine Ordinances promulgated by the Governor-General of India before independence. It also made minor amendments to the Plantations Labour Act, 1951, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. The Act was the fifth such repealing act tabled by the Narendra Modi administration aimed at repealing obsolete laws.
Background and legislative history Prime Minister Narendra Modi had advocated the repeal of old laws during his 2014 general election campaign. At the 2015 Economic Times Global Business Summit, Modi stated, "Our country suffers from an excess of old and unnecessary laws which obstruct people and businesses. We began the exercise of identifying unnecessary laws and repealing them. 1,877 Central laws have been identified for repeal."
The Repealing and Amending (Second) Bill, 2017 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 11 August 2017 by the Minister of Law and Justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad. The bill sought to repeal 131 Acts, including over 30 Acts enacted before independence, and also sought to repeal 9 Ordinances promulgated by the Governor General of India before independence. It also sought to make minor amendments to delete some provisions, and rectify drafting errors in The Plantations Labour Act, 1951, The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on 19 December 2017 and by the Rajya Sabha on 28 December 2017. The bill received assent from President Ram Nath Kovind on 5 January 2018, and was notified in The Gazette of India on 8 January 2018.
Repealed Acts The 131 Acts included in the bill's First Schedule were completely repealed.
No.YearAct No.Short title11850XXIThe Caste Disabilities Removal Act, 185021857VIIThe Madras Uncovenanted Officers Act, 185731857XXIThe Howrah Offences Act, 185741859XIIThe Calcutta Pilots Act, 185951862IIIThe Government Seal Act, 186261873XVIThe North-Western Provinces Village and Road Police Act, 187371875XXThe Central Provinces Laws Act, 187581876XIXThe Dramatic Performances Act, 187691879XIVThe Hackney-carriage Act, 1879101879XIXThe Raipur and Khattra Laws Act, 1879111881XIIIThe Fort William Act, 1881121882XXIThe Madras Forest (Validation) Act, 1882131883XThe Bikrama Singh's Estates Act, 1883141886XXIThe Oudh Wasikas Act, 1886151888IIIThe Police Act, 1888161888VIIIThe Indian Tolls Act, 1888171893IIThe Porahat Estate Act, 1893181895XVThe Government Grants Act, 1895191897VIIIThe Reformatory Schools Act, 1897201911XThe Prevention of Seditious Meetings Act, 1911211912VIIThe Bengal, Bihar and Orissa and Assam Laws Act, 1912221917XXVThe Sir Currimbhoy Ebrahim Baronetcy (Amendment) Act, 1917231921XVIIThe Cattle-trespass (Amendment) Act, 1921241931XXThe Sheriff of Calcutta (Powers of Custody) Act, 1931251932XIThe Public Suits Validation Act, 1932261932XXIVThe Bengal Suppression of Terrorist Outrages (Supplementary) Act, 1932271938XXThe Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1938281941IVThe Berar Laws Act, 1941291942XVIIIThe Weekly Holidays Act, 1942301943XXIIIThe War Injuries (Compensation Insurance) Act, 1943311947XVIThe Trading with the Enemy (Continuance of Emergency Provisions) Act, 194732194826The Junagadh Administration (Property) Act, 194833194951The Requisitioned Land (Apportionment of Compensation) Act, 194934194961The Professions Tax Limitation (Amendment and Validation) Act, 1949351950IVThe Preventive Detention Act, 1950361950LThe Preventive Detention (Amendment) Act, 195037195067The Cooch-Behar (Assimilation of Laws) Act, 19503819513The Part B States (Laws) Act, 1951391951IVThe Preventive Detention (Amendment) Act, 195140195151The Railway Companies (Emergency Provisions) Act, 195141195166The Part C States (Miscellaneous Laws) Repealing Act, 195142195170The Displaced Persons (Debts Adjustment) Act, 19514319521The Part B States Marriages Validating Act, 1952441952XXXIVThe Preventive Detention (Amendment) Act, 1952451952LXIThe Preventive Detention (Second Amendment) Act, 19524619544The Abducted Persons (Recovery and Restoration) Amendment Act, 19544719547The Government of Part C States (Amendment) Act, 195448195415The Transfer of Evacuee Deposits Act, 195449195420The Absorbed Areas (Laws) Act, 195450195436The Chandernagore (Merger) Act, 195451195451The Preventive Detention (Amendment) Act, 195452195519The Commanders-in-Chief (Change in Designation) Act, 195553195530The Abducted Persons (Recovery and Restoration) Continuance Act, 19555419564The Bar Councils (Validation of State Laws) Act, 195655195650The Indian Cotton Cess (Amendment) Act, 195656195665The Abducted Persons (Recovery and Restoration) Continuance Act, 195657195688The Representation of the People (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 195658195697The Delhi Tenants (Temporary Protection) Act, 195659195732The Forward Contracts (Regulation) Amendment Act, 195760195737The Legislative Councils Act, 195761195754The Preventive Detention (Continuance) Act, 195762195924The Pharmacy (Amendment) Act, 195963196031The Tripura Municipal Law (Repeal) Act, 196064196047The Bilaspur Commercial Corporation (Repeal) Act, 196065196048The Mahendra Pratab Singh Estates (Repeal) Act, 196066196053The Tripura Excise Law (Repeal) Act, 196067196262The Emergency Risks (Goods) Insurance Act, 196268196263The Emergency Risks (Factories) Insurance Act, 196269196329The Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Act, 196370196356The Delhi Development (Amendment) Act, 196371196423The Delhi (Delegation of Powers) Act, 196472196550The Goa, Daman and Diu (Absorbed Employees) Act, 1965.73196716The Anti-Corruption Laws (Amendment) Act, 196774196941The International Monetary Fund and Bank (Amendment) Act, 196975197165The Asian Refractories Limited (Acquisition of Undertaking) Act, 197176197168The Uttar Pradesh Cantonments (Control of Rent and Eviction) (Repeal) Act, 197177197236The Coking Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 197278197326The Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 197379197519The All-India Services Regulations (Indemnity) Act, 197580197622The Assam Sillimanite Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Refractory Plant) Act, 197681197628The Parliamentary Proceedings (Protection of Publication) Repeal Act, 197682197676The National Library of India Act, 197683197689The Indian Iron and Steel Company (Acquisition of Shares) Act, 197684197696The Braithwaite and Company (India) Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 197685197716The Disputed Elections (Prime Minister and Speaker) Act, 197786197741The Smith, Stainstreet and Company Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 197787197742The Gresham and Craven of India (Private) Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 197788197813The Hindustan Tractors Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 197889197842The Bolani Ores Limited (Acquisition of Shares) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 197890197912The Punjab Excise (Delhi Amendment) Act, 197991198058The Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 198092198335The Dangerous Machines (Regulation) Act, 198393198439The Punjab Municipal (New Delhi Amendment) Act, 198494198443The Aluminium Corporation of India Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Aluminium Undertaking) Act, 198495198457The Bengal Immunity Company Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 198496198580The Customs (Amendment) Act, 198597198736The Brentford Electric (India) Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 198798199324The National Thermal Power Corporation Limited, the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited and the North-Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Power Transmission Systems) Act, 199399199456The Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Power Transmission System) Act, 199410019996The Delhi Development Authority (Validation of Disciplinary Powers) Act, 199810119998The Customs (Amendment) Act, 1998102199949The Copyright (Amendment) Act, 1999103200020The Direct-tax Laws (Miscellaneous) Repeal Act, 2000104200048The Forfeiture (Repeal) Act, 2000105200133The Influx from Pakistan (Control) Repealing (Repeal) Act, 2001106200136The Indian Universities (Repeal) Act, 2001107200137The Auroville (Emergency Provisions) Repeal Act, 2001108200141The Central Sales Tax (Amendment) Act, 2001109200147The Two-Member Constituencies (Abolition) and other Laws Repeal Act, 2001110200257The Mysore State Legislature (Delegation of Powers) Repeal Act, 2002111200265The Countess of Dufferin's Fund (Repeal) Act, 2002112200266The Prevention of Food Adulteration (Extension to Kohima and Mokokchung Districts) Repeal Act, 2002113200270The Refugee Relief Taxes (Abolition) Repeal Act, 200211420032The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2002115200538The Displaced Persons Claims and other Laws Repeal Act, 2005116200544The Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Amendment Act, 200511720063The Central Sales Tax (Amendment) Act, 2005118200618The National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (Amendment) Act, 2006119200624The Cess Laws (Repealing and Amending) Act, 2006120200629The Taxation Laws (Amendment) Act, 2006121200632The Spirituous Preparations (Inter-State Trade and Commerce) Control (Repeal) Act, 2006122200646The Produce Cess Laws (Abolition) Act, 2006123200649The Indian Rifles (Repeal) Act, 2006124200724The Mizoram University (Amendment) Act, 2007125200739The Competition (Amendment) Act, 2007126200825The Central Universities Laws (Amendment) Act, 2008127200939The Competition (Amendment) Act, 2009128201020The National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (Amendment) Act, 2010129201033The Jharkhand Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Act, 2010130201227The Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012131201231The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Amendment Act, 2012Ordinances made by the Governor-General11941VIIThe War Injuries Ordinance, 194121942XXThe Collective Fines Ordinance, 194231942XLIThe Armed Forces (Special Powers) Ordinance, 194241944XXIThe Public Health (Emergency Provisions) Ordinance, 194451945XXIVThe War Gratuities (Income-tax Exemption) Ordinance, 194561945XXXThe Secunderabad Marriage Validating Ordinance, 194571946IIThe Bank Notes (Declaration of Holdings) Ordinance, 194681946VIThe Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance, 194691946XThe Termination of War (Definition) Ordinance, 1946
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